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Summary List of stories Phase I Day: Honor, Duty, And Family << chapter 11 Chapter 12 of 75 Betrayal, Blackmail, Retaliation chapter 13 >> << previous scene Scene 2 of 2 next scene >> Location Participants Time Summary Prologue | Phase I | Phase II | Epilogue 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 Text It took a long time for Luna and Scrivener to calm down... and longer still for Leafy's tears to subside. As she started to calm, they sat her quietly down in the sitting room and fixed her both a pot of tea and a simple bowl of tomato soup, but the earth pony mare only stared down into this, her teacup trembling between her hooves as she sipped from it compulsively. Scrivener and Luna, meanwhile, had taken down their campsite, then loaded their wagon up and moved it to a safer spot beside the house, where it would be easier to keep an eye on. They had also moved their armor inside the house, to be ready for when they marched into town. They had no real plan, no actual information, and nothing driving them but a desire for justice and retribution and dark, dark revenge... and yet both of them felt grimly that not only would an opportunity present itself... the moment it did, they would make Corvette and Autumn Orange both wish they had never been born. They sat across from Leafy, on the other side of the table, resting together on the floor as Leafy sat back in the couch... then she closed her eyes slowly as she whispered: "I think... part of me always knew." The two looked up silently, and Leafy Greene shuddered as she stared down into her teacup. Tears leaked quietly down her stained cheeks, and she shook her head slowly before whispering: "It wasn't Pa. It wasn't his voice, and... groceries was always my job. Groceries, laundry, keeping the house clean..." She looked up, and gave a cracked laugh. "And painting. Funny, ain't it? All those things and painting. "But I hoped that if I kept the house clean enough, did all the work I could... he'd come back one day. They never found the bodies... just... the stains, before the desert swallowed those up too." Greene whispered, and then she clenched her eyes shut as she put her cup of tea down, reaching up and grasping her face in her hooves. "And then I guess... I believed it so much... I almost made it real. I wanted to believe so much that..." "Thou wert used. We have all been used... but I swear to thee, Corvette and Autumn Orange will pay for what they have done." Luna said empathetically, nodding firmly once, and Leafy Greene looked up with a tremble, face half-hidden behind her hooves. "The Norns will not let such a travesty go unpunished. Oh, they are cruel, and they weave stories tragic as well as heroic... but they are even less fond of cowards than I am." Leafy Greene only looked at her quietly, and then Scrivener shook his head slowly, saying softly: "Leafy... don't blame yourself. You've probably got enough psychotropics in your system to sedate an army even now. Autumn Orange knew just what to give you to try and get her way... I just... never suspected..." "I don't think anypony ever did." Luna murmured, glancing quietly towards Scrivener before she grimaced moodily. "Cunning witch. I think I shall cut her tongue out." Scrivener grunted, making a face at the fact he wasn't sure whether or not Luna was serious... and moreover, whether or not he actually minded that thought. Then he shook his head slowly, returning his eyes towards Leafy and saying quietly: "Eat. Get some food in your stomach. Believe me, it'll help." Leafy Greene only looked silently down at the tomato soup for a little while longer... but eventually, she did hesitantly eat a little of it. Scrivener and Luna, meanwhile, simply sat, watching over the earth pony mare quietly, neither wanting to leave her alone. Not because they were afraid of what she would do despite the recent betrayal, but because they both felt as if they had already failed one pony, and neither wanted to fail another. Leafy excused herself to go to bed after a few hours, and Scrivener and Luna cleaned up the house a little, then simply sat together, their heads pressing gently to one-another's, resting, planning, and simply letting their thoughts spin out. Everything felt unstable, uneasy... and both Scrivener and Luna knew they had to be prepared if they wanted to come out on top without losing either the anchor or Sublime Style. Then again, Corvette had been specific, wanted a wide window of time... and this made them wonder if they would be able to save Style at all. But they pushed those thoughts aside: all these worries were valid, but would do nothing to help them at this point and time, especially when all they could do was push forwards... before Luna gritted her teeth and muttered, as she buried her face into Scrivener's neck: "But let this be known, Scrivy. If he destroys the anchor or harms the unicorn... Corvette seals the death warrant for both himself and Autumn Orange." Eventually, Scrivener and Luna got up, to clean themselves off, refresh themselves, and gather their gear. As they were climbing into their armor, however, Leafy Greene came silently downstairs, looking ill and uncomfortable, but lucid all the same, as she whispered: "I want to come into town with you. I don't want to fight, but... I do want to be there. I have to be there." Scrivener and Luna traded looks, and then the winged unicorn nodded slowly, saying softly: "Very well. But thou must stay by the wagon, and know that all I can do is implore thee to run should a fight ensue... art thou sure thou will be safe?" "Crazy Leafy Greene. Even the Diamond Dogs pity her." the earth pony smiled faintly, looking away before she shook her head quietly. "I will be. Thank you." Scrivener and Luna both nodded again... and an hour later, they were on their way into town, the earth pony stallion dragging the wagon behind him, loaded up with all their things. They would have to carry the anchor back into the desert and plant it again, after all... or perhaps wander further, and find an even safer location this time, where they could be sure it wouldn't be found by even the wiliest of ponies. Watershed was quiet and ominous, dark and empty and uncomfortable: eyes peered out at them from behind shuttered windows as if sensing an oncoming battle, and the thugs that patrolled the streets were cocky and grinning, clearly working for Corvette and certain they had bested these two ponies in armor. Greene went mostly unnoticed as she half-followed them, trembling and staying in the shadow cast by the wagon as they headed towards the tavern. Corvette was already waiting for them, Autumn Orange sitting at one of the tables with her rear legs raised and a thug grumpily polishing her hooves. She had clearly already celebrated a little from the sight of the glitzy gemstones adorning her body, and Scrivener and Luna looked at her with disgust before their eyes roved to Corvette when the bounty hunter stomped a single hoof down on the patio. Two minotaurs emerged from the swinging doors of the tavern, carrying the anchor between them and throwing it unceremoniously down the steps, the heavy rock sending up a burst of dust as Scrivener and Luna both glared, but Corvette only looked back with equal distaste. "Please. You should be glad I didn't just smash it." "Where's Sublime Style?" Scrivener asked calmly as he unhooked himself from the wagon, and Corvette narrowed his eyes as Luna picked up the anchor with telekinesis, grimacing a little as she carefully carried it around to the back, Leafy Greene staring as she passed with the huge, top-shaped rock. "Who was after her, anyway? You have her, you won and all... don't thin an answer or two matters now." Corvette snorted at this, then he smiled contemptibly. "That's right, colt, I have won. And by a clear margin... so sure. Sublime is right on inside there, as a matter of fact... she was a model in Equestria. I'm sure you've seen how pretty that meat is, and she's been running for weeks, trying to get away from some very nasty ponies. They got some fancy name for themselves, but I think we know what kind of ponies deal in buying and selling pretty flesh." "Slavers." Scrivener said quietly, and Corvette nodded calmly before the earth pony stallion asked in disgust: "Do you have any morals whatsoever?" "Nope. No profit." Corvette retorted with a snort. "Grow up, colt, morals don't matter. There's no heaven, no hell, and no afterlife, only the here and now. We're just animals, running around, and most of us are too stupid to understand that if you want something... you don't ask permission, you don't say 'pretty please,' you just take it and go. Money is what gives you the right and power to do that, and selling that worthless hunk of mare-meat off is what's going to make me all the money I need in order to sit back and relax for the rest of my long, long life. "It's funny, you know. They scared her out of Equestria... but if she'd stayed, that could have been trouble. But the moment she left the country, the only way back in is by one-way ticket with me." Corvette said calmly, rubbing a hoof slowly against the ground before he smiled coldly. "But you kids these days. Get so damn paranoid. Makes it easy to scare you out of where you're hiding." The wagon door slammed, and then Luna flicked her horn, and the door glowed before there was a loud click as it locked securely. The winged unicorn's eyes were narrowed, her mane snapping back and forth as electricity sparked through her locks, her irises glowing as she strode calmly around to the front of the wagon and looked icily up at Corvette. "Thou hast our thanks, Corvette. Now tell us, what is to stop us from killing thee?" The bounty hunter glanced mildly at one of the minotaurs, and both of the enormous figures strode down the stairs, one of them cracking their knuckles menacingly as ponies hemmed slowly in on all sides, Scrivener and Luna both looking calmly back and forth as Leafy Greene trembled a little and slipped nervously beneath the carriage. "Brynhild... whoever you are, filly... I like that you have such a high opinion of yourself. But you can't win a fight against me and all these people. Not without a miracle. And after the poking my unicorns did at that funny little device of yours, we know it's no magic bomb or anything. Radiated a funny aura, made some... pretty colors, sure. But didn't seem to do much else, so don't even bother trying to bluff me with that." Luna snorted in disgust, and silence spiraled out for a few moments before her eyes narrowed as Scrivener's ears flicked, hearing a sound both menacing and familiar. A rustling, a ticking, that none of the others were picking up on... but then Luna slowly scowled as she looked up and said softly: "Well, miracles are not my style, in any event. How about some damnation, instead?" Corvette frowned... and then one of the minotaurs released a cry of shock, his back arching as two enormous blades tore outwards through his chest, the other bull staggering away with a look of horror before the blades lashed to either side and ripped the unfortunate victim into several pieces as a silvery, metallic monstrosity flexed its long, mantis-like limbs, clicking away as its emotionless eyes stared towards Luna. It was accompanied by two other shapeshifters: one that was already scurrying past on four long legs as it stretched its claws towards Luna, and the other swung a limb forwards as its arm transformed into an enormous axe blade, ripping apart the wooden railing at the side of the deck before it slithered forwards, legs melting into a body that became rapidly serpentine. Corvette threw himself backwards with a curse of horror, turning and bolting into the tavern as the other thugs panicked. Luna and Scrivener ran forwards as the surviving minotaur turned with a snarl and slammed a fist into the shapeshifter beside it, knocking it flat before stomping on its tail and shattering it like glass. But before it could do any further damage, the second shapeshifter lunged as its eyes followed Luna and Scrivener, swiping a claw out towards them but instead hitting the bull as if the alien creature didn't even realize the minotaur had been standing between it and the two ponies. The minotaur was knocked sprawling as Luna and Scrivener leapt up onto the deck, then both winced and leapt backwards when the serpentine, axe-armed shapeshifter in front of them swung viciously towards them. The limb whickered past and buried uselessly into the deck, and without a moment's hesitation Luna flicked her horn firmly, smashing the alloy monstrosity with a blast of telekinesis that sent it rocketing into the shapeshifter behind them. Then Scrivener and Luna traded looks before the stallion nodded quickly, slamming through the swinging doors and sprinting immediately for the nearest table as Corvette opened fire on him from the stairs, a rifle in the hooves of the Pegasus and a snarl on his face. Beside him, Sublime Style was shivering on the steps, bleeding and bruised and hoof-cuffed. The charcoal earth pony hid behind the rickety table as rifle rounds blasted into the furnishing, sending splinters and chunks of broken dish and glass flying in all directions... and then Corvette let out a loud shout of pain and frustration when the unicorn behind him struck him hard in the back of the head with both front limbs, fumbling his rifle and dropping it over the railing with a loud clatter before he turned with a snarl and struck her hard across the face. "Bitch!" Style was knocked rolling down the stairs with a cry of pain, and Corvette cursed before the Pegasus leapt over the railing, reaching into his coat and yanking a dagger free from his jacket as Scrivener glanced quickly over the table, then ducked back behind it. Corvette grinned at this for a moment as he flew forwards... and then Scrivener snarled and kicked both rear hooves back into the table as hard as he could, and the Pegasus's grin turned to a look of horror before the furnishing smashed into him and exploded in a hail of broken timbers, knocking him crashing to the ground. As Scrivener spun around to charge the stunned Corvette, the front window of the bar shattered, Autumn Orange flying through with a squeal of agony as outside, Luna grinned darkly before her eyes flicked behind her to watch as the broken-tailed shapeshifter charged. The other two creatures had been distracted by the few pony thugs who had decided to stay behind, and Luna's eyes narrowed before she ducked when the shapeshifter stabbed a limb forwards as it became a deadly javelin, then her horn glowed as she lunged forwards and sank it into the monstrosity's chest before ripping savagely downwards as she released a telekinetic blast at the same time, and the shapeshifter was blown apart into shards of glimmering metal that began to melt before they even hit the ground. Luna quickly looked towards the wagon, but Leafy was hiding safely under it, terrified but ignored by both the thugs and the shapeshifters. So instead, Luna turned her eyes to the bar, leaping in through the broken window and then flicking her horn when Autumn Orange began to scramble away to send a chair flying into the Pegasus mare's back, knocking her flat with a grunt before the winged unicorn said darkly: "I think not." Then Luna winced and cursed a sharp bolt of pain spread through her body, looking towards Scrivener to watch the charcoal stallion's head flick to the side, a spray of blood shooting up as Corvette caught him across the face with his knife. The bounty hunter snarled, trying to press the advantage as he skillfully twisted the knife around into another slash aimed at Scrivener's eyes, but the earth pony slipped backwards with a wince, the blade only catching the earth pony's glasses and knocking them from his face. Corvette stabbed towards him, and Scrivener slipped to the side before he smacked Corvette across the muzzle with a hoof, the bounty hunter grunting in pain before he reversed the blade to try and stab it into Scrivener's throat, but the earth pony hurriedly brought his foreleg back to block. The Pegasus, however, snarled as he changed the arc of the vicious attack, and Scrivener's eyes widened before he hissed in pain as the dagger ripped through the thin armor plating over his foreleg, sinking deep into his limb as Corvette gripped the handle of the knife tightly, twisting it slightly and forcing it to grind into the bone as he shouted: "How the hell does that feel, colt?" "You tell me!" Scrivener snarled in return, then he slammed his other hoof up into the bounty hunter's throat, knocking Corvette stumbling backwards as he gagged loudly, loosening his grip and letting Scrivener yank his limb away, the dagger still imbedded in it before the earth pony hissed in fury and frustration and pain as he lashed a vicious hook outwards, hoof passing by Corvette's muzzle... but the metal handle of the knife still buried in Scrivener's foreleg impacting directly into the bounty hunter's clenched teeth with enough force to knock the dagger loose and shatter the Pegasus stallion's grit jaw. Corvette staggered backwards with a howl of misery before Scrivener reared up, slamming a quick flurry of blows down into the bounty hunter's face as the pain only drove him to fight all the harder, and the Pegasus staggered away before he spun and bolted with a curse, bleeding heavily from the mouth as he leapt out the broken window of the tavern. Luna looked sharply up at this, then immediately shot a look and mental order to Scrivener as she turned away from the badly-beaten Autumn Orange, the winged unicorn quickly following Corvette out the broken window and into the street as Scrivener charged towards the Pegasus mare. Autumn began to get up with a groan... only to be plowed into by the full force of the stallion, crushed back against the wall behind her and cracking the window as her skull whacked loudly against it, her eyes bulging before Scrivener picked the Pegasus easily up and threw her as as hard as he could through the glass. She crashed limply into the deck and rolled into the banister, and Scrivener grunted before he winced when a silvery claw lashed through the air in front of him, the stallion staggering backwards before wincing as a shapeshifter slithered easily in through the broken window, its jaws clicking as its dead eyes locked on him before the charcoal pony hurried backwards, shoving objects into the creature's way. Yet it flowed almost like liquid over them as six thin, rapidly-clicking legs sprouted from its long carapace, propelling it forwards as its upper body bent unnaturally and extended slightly, claws forming into deadly swords at the end of its gangly arms. It clacked loudly as it stared towards him, almost excited as Scrivener finally stumbled back against the bar, head thumping lightly against the wooden keg behind him as he fell back on his haunches, wincing... and then he ducked with a curse when the monstrosity suddenly lunged. The sword tore through the wooden barrel, and Scrivener scrambled out of the way before the shapeshifter hissed as it tore the sword back even as the blade steamed violently, and pressurized beer spurted out of the keg, saturating the monster's right side as it skittered rapidly backwards. Scrivener stared in shock as the liquid ate into the shapeshifter like acid, watching as its entire arm rapidly melted off, turning into long, gooey strings that splattered sickly to the ground. Parts of its chest soon followed even as it barely seemed to register the pain, turning towards Scrivener as its legs clicked over the floor before the earth pony turned and clambered hurriedly over the counter, wincing as he half-fell, half-dove off it when the shapeshifter lashed its other arm sword towards him and the blade tore against the armor plating of his flank. He grunted as he hit the other side of the bar, then seized the nearest bottle as he sat up, swinging it hard upwards when the shapeshifter began to twist over the counter. It shattered against its features, and the creature reared back as its head quickly melted away, followed by its upper breast... and then the monster collapsed backwards as something dislodged with a sludgy sound from its chest, the shapeshifter spilling apart into goop and slime as a strange, glowing violet orb rolled free and banged loudly against the counter. Scrivener rose his head, staring as this orb rolled slowly off the other side of the bar... then he winced backwards when it exploded in a crackle of electricity and dark light, the stallion thankfully protected by the bar. Outside, Corvette was grappling in the dirt with Luna, the bounty hunter cursing as his thugs only stared on in horror before Corvette was thrown hard into the side of the wagon. The bounty hunter bounced loudly off this, then he began to dig into his coat with wince... but with only a sharp grin, Luna snapped her horn upwards, and thick vines ripped out of the ground beneath the hooves of the Pegasus, startling him. They wrapped around his rear legs even as Corvette threw himself into the air, wings flapping hard as he tore on the vines and yanked a wild handful of useless objects out of his jacket before Luna leapt forwards, horn slicing through the vines before seizing the ends of the thick ivy ropes ensnaring him, twisting hard downwards and lashing Corvette like a whip into the armored wagon behind him. The bounty hunter bounced off this with a loud crack and a howl of pain that was like music to Luna's ears before she turned in the other direction and shot into the air, flying towards a crooked lamppost and smoothly performing a quick roll around the arm extending out of the metal pole. She released the vines a moment later, grinning as she flapped her wings to propel herself backwards and her horn glowed brightly, smoothly knotting the vines into place. Then she easily dropped to her hooves, looking with pleasure up at Corvette as he was left dangling helplessly upside down, one of his wings broken and useless, his coat tangled up around his forelegs, a few baubles and gadgets and other objects spilling out of their holsters as he stared stupidly at the winged unicorn. "Well, what a handsome ornament thou makes!" Luna declared easily, then she looked back and forth with a kind smile at the other staring ponies. Quite a few of the thugs lay dead, even though between themselves they had managed to bring down one of the shapeshifters almost purely out of luck... and yet Luna felt little remorse for them as her eyes flicked back to Corvette as she said clearly to the others there: "Now, this would be the one moment of mercy I shall spare thee. If thou wert involved in the mess engineered by this bounty hunter, then I would take this moment to quietly slip away. Or, otherwise, thou can risk sharing the same fate as he will." The hired goons traded looks, then gazed at the winged unicorn before one of them began forwards, opening his mouth... but a loud click drew the attention of all present, and the pony thug that had been about to speak went pale at the sight of the bartender aiming a crossbow at him. "Get out of our town." And there were other ponies, other minotaurs, even a few Diamond Dogs now that were gathered around, snarling: townspeople, that vastly outnumbered and outgunned the few thugs and thieves and raiders that hadn't been either frightened off or killed by the shapeshifters. For a moment, the mercenaries looked uncertain... and then the thugs began to slowly back away when the villagers hemmed in closer, turning to hurry their way out of Watershed. Corvette snarled, flailing his limbs before he looked over his shoulder with a curse as the swinging doors opened, Scrivener gently helping a smiling, thankful Sublime Style out of the bar before the bounty hunter howled: "She's my goddamn payday!" "She is no one's payday, Corvette, and if thou wants to keep thy tongue in thy head and thy wings on thy back, I would close thine idiotic mouth." Luna said coldly, and Corvette cursed at her, flailing a bit before his jacket fell free with a clatter. He began to try and reach up for the rope, but Luna only narrowed her eyes, and the bounty hunter winced as the winged unicorn said darkly: "Give me a reason, Corvette. Give me a single reason." Corvette mumbled after a moment, then he fell slack before he whispered: "So what? Other bounty hunters will come. You think you did a good thing here? Crime is a business, and for some reason you just inspired this stupid village to run its livelihood out of town. The money I was going to pay those 'crooks' and 'mercenaries' was what they were going to spend in this little waste-dump of a village and-" "Oh spare me the economics lecture." Luna rolled her eyes in disgust, and then she said distastefully: "And Style will be safe, one way or the other: whether she finds a home here, or returns to Equestria, Style will be safe. Why, thou asks?" Luna stepped forwards, her eyes narrowing as she looked up in disgust at the bounty hunter. "Because whilst there are a few ponies like thou in the world, ponies who are... monstrous, stupid, selfish, greedy, and vicious... there are more ponies like me. Who will stop at nothing to see the right thing done, if not the good thing. And who will always stop ponies like thou. And before thou dares to laugh at me, take a good look at thy current predicament: hanging upside down, fit to be judged. "But I am no judge, much as thou has wronged me." Luna paused, then smiled coldly as Corvette looked at her apprehensively for a moment, before she gestured to Sublime Style, saying quietly: "Because thou has wronged her, more. Wronged this village, more. And wronged thy very world, although thou wert too stupid to understand how important that anchor thou dug up and threatened to destroy was and is." Corvette gritted his teeth, then winced at the pain that visibly sparked through his system before he leaned forwards and rasped: "You stupid little filly, you really think that these rejects-" Then one of the minotaurs stepped forwards and smacked Corvette firmly with an open palm, and the pony howled in pain as he was sent swaying violently back and forth as Luna snorted in entertainment, nodding approvingly. A moment later, her cyan eyes flicked to the side, narrowing as they looked past the minotaur when a shape began to skulk away, and the winged unicorn asked quietly: "And where exactly does thou think thou art going, Autumn Orange? I believe thou has thine own share of wrongdoing to pay for." "I... it was Corvette! He made me, he s-scared me!" Autumn Orange winced as all eyes turned towards the Pegasus mare on the deck, shivering as she shook her head hurriedly and stumbled back against the wall, her eyes going wide with fear. Then she grinned weakly, scurrying towards the railing and leaning over it to look towards the bartender, saying hurriedly: "I... I always was a good worker, wasn't I? And... oh, Lee-Lee, I'm so sorry I said those awful things but... but... I had to! I was protecting us both, he... he was going to kill you!" Leafy Greene trembled from where she was now sitting beside the wagon, looking silently up at Autumn Orange before she shook her head slowly as all eyes turned towards her, and the earth pony mare bowed her head forwards as she whispered: "I was crazy, Autumn. I was crazy, but I wasn't stupid then, and I'm not stupid now. How could you do that? What did we ever do to you, to make you hate us so much? Pa helped out Watershed so much, we had... we were a good place, when it rained..." "Because what did you ever do to deserve any of that? So what, your Pa makes a big net and everypony loves him? And all the money..." Autumn Orange snarled suddenly, forwards over the railing and snapping: "You and your stupid friends and neighbors, and me, just the cook to your rich friends! How is that fair, little Lee-Lee?" Luna only shook her head in slow disgust at this, and then Leafy Greene smiled wryly, laughing a little before she looked up and said quietly: "Funny. You make me think that maybe I wasn't so crazy after all." Autumn Orange trembled, then she began to turn... only for two other Pegasus to quickly fly over the railing and block her exit. She shivered once, then slumped, whispering: "But... but everypony liked me..." "Yes, before they knew you were a manipulative psychotic." Scrivener pointed out wryly, and Autumn snarled at him before the two Pegasi approached her, one of them shoving her firmly as he gave her a mild smile. "Have fun in jail." Autumn cursed at him as she was half-pushed past, looking disgusted as they pushed her through the village, and Luna smiled mildly after the bruised and beaten Pegasus mare before she glanced towards Scrivener and Sublime Style as the unicorn whispered something to the charcoal stallion. Scrivener nodded after a moment, and he carefully helped her walk down the steps, letting her rest against him as they made their way quietly to stand beside Leafy Greene. The earth pony mare smiled embarrassedly at the beautiful unicorn, and Style closed her eyes and bowed her head to her for a moment before she quietly looked up at Corvette. Corvette looked coldly back at her from his dangling position, and the unicorn was silent for only a moment before she said quietly, her voice as soft as she was beautiful, with the gentlest hint of an accent adding subtle influence to her words: "You hunted me. For months, you hunted me... and now, here we are, at the end of the chase, with roles reversed. Corvette, bounty hunter, you would have given me over to ponies who only saw me as an object. You would have left me to a fate worse than death." She closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards before she looked up calmly and said quietly: "But I am not you. We will go back to Equestria together, just like you wanted... but you shall be my prisoner, and I shall be the one in charge. And we shall not go to the slavers, but the courts, to Canterlot itself if we must. And you, coward, will spill everything you know about the slavers who would have done horrible things to me, as they did to the other girls who helped me escape... I am not like you, or the people you work for. I do not want revenge: I want justice." "You can't make me do anything." Corvette retorted disgustedly, looking contemptibly down at her. "Besides, just how the hell do you think you'll get back to Equestria? You have no money, and these are just simple townsfolk. These people who want you are very wealthy, and have every method of communication blockaded to ensure you do not get a single message out, a single letter across, a single plea for help. You are alone. Good doesn't come out on top in real life." Style trembled a little... and then Luna grinned widely, her eyes glinting before she flicked her horn firmly, and there was a loud series of clicks before the rear door of the wagon swung slowly open, Luna saying kindly: "Scrivener Blooms, if thou would be so kind as to take a letter." Scrivener smiled slightly at this, gently slipping away from Style as she looked confused and Corvette frowned moodily, the stallion heading to the back of the transport before Leafy Greene looked up and said quietly into the silence: "I can lend you some of the bits. I always wanted to go to Equestria... and now that... that Pa and... my brothers are gone... well, I got nothing to tie me down. I'll sell the farm." "We'll help put that money together, Miss Style. To ship Corvette out of this bad-enough-as-it-is country and to get a pretty mare back where she belongs is enough... knowing we're helping out a good cause makes it even better." the bartender added quietly as he lowered his crossbow, and a few others nodded as Style looked around at them thankfully. Then Scrivener emerged from the back of the wagon with a satchel filled with his writing tools and another object held easily in his mouth, the male humming a little as he approached before he sat back on his haunches as Luna grinned widely. The earth pony took the object from his jaws into his hooves, and Corvette glared at the charcoal stallion as he rose the camera and then snapped a quick picture before winking over at Luna. "Happy now?" "Delighted! But now to work." Luna replied with a wide grin, and Corvette frowned before Scrivener nodded and opened his satchel to pull out a clipboard, parchment and a quill. A moment later, the bounty hunter's expression turned to one of horror as the winged unicorn began easily: "'Dear Princess Celestia, 'tis my duty to inform thee that one of thy loyal subjects is in dire straits in the Evening Isles. Whilst, thanks to the courtesy and generosity of the people here, we have begun to find her a way back home... the slavers have sent out bounty hunters and threaten to capture her should she return within Equestria's borders. Her name is Sublime Style, and it would be most appreciated if thou could aid in securing her passage, as she wishes to bring with her a bounty hunter by the name of Corvette, to testify against those who hired him. Sincerely..." Luna paused and then winked over at Scrivener before she extended a wing, then her horn glowed and gently pulled a single feather free. It floated in the air for a moment, and then Scrivener swirled an X for the signature before the feather dropped into the parchment and smoothly rolled closed. A moment later, Luna easily flicked her horn, and the parchment burst into blue flames before dissolving as Scrivener said mildly: "Our... boss... is going to be really mad at you for this, you know." "So what?" Luna huffed, and Scrivener rolled his eyes and smiled despite himself before Luna grinned over at Corvette as the bounty hunter glared at her. "Oh, what, thou thinks I am bluffing? Well, let us simply wait a few moments, shall we?" "Do... do you really know Celestia?" Sublime Style asked in a whisper, her eyes wide and amazed... and then Luna grinned as a moment later, there was a burst of golden flames in the air above her head before it formed quickly into a letter that dropped down in front of Luna. The winged unicorn caught this easily with telekinesis, reading over it, then laughing loudly as she grinned over at Scrivener. "What a delightful reaction! She demands a show of power, Scrivener, to prove the truth to this wild tale and mine suspected identity... oh, oh, I know, Scrivener Blooms! I shall bring day to the Evening Isle!" With that, Luna's eyes gleamed, and Scrivener sighed before he dropped his head forwards as Luna bowed her own, the gathered villagers staring before the two slowly leaned downwards, then arched their backs, raising their heads in tandem as Luna's horn glowed brighter, brighter, brighter... and then flashed as she released a loud laugh, feeling her heart racing in time with Scrivener's, strength and adrenaline burning through her body as the skies above went from crimson to beautiful azure as the warm sun slowly rose over their heads, making all present stare upwards in shock. Then Luna dropped back forwards, cracking her neck and looking pleased with herself as she smiled brightly, murmuring: "It has been so long since we have done anything of this sort, Scrivy... and it feels good to have done so. It does not feel draining, but... energizing, aye. It gladdens my heart, beloved daydreamer..." Scrivener laughed quietly at this, and then he winked across at Luna as the villagers only stared at them incredulously, feeling the same excitement and warmth in his own veins before he replied quietly: "Except I think you were supposed to move the moon, Luna..." "Luna... Luna... P-Princess Luna?" Corvette's features went dead white as Sublime Style stared at the winged unicorn, then gasped herself as other eyes looked with amazement at the sapphire pony, but she only grinned and preened beneath the glow of the bright sun as she gently brushed a hoof against her armored breast, her starry locks gleaming around her. "Impossible! The Princesses aren't... I... Canterlot isn't, doesn't..." "Be careful, Corvette, if thou wets thyself in fear it shall all dribble down onto thy face." Luna replied kindly, and then she winked at him before smiling kindly at Sublime Style as the unicorn dropped into a low bow, and Luna huffed and waved a hoof before the other ponies could follow suit. "No, no, stop! Cease at once, I do not require this!" The unicorn blushed, sitting up as Leafy Greene stared with awe at Luna, trembling a little as Scrivener smiled a bit... and then a moment later, a second letter appeared above Luna's head. She caught it easily as it fell past, opening, gazing at the single word written there... and then she grinned widely before flicking her horn to pick up Scrivener's quill, saying mildly: "'How?' Well, Celestia... 'because.'" And with that, Luna flicked her horn firmly, the parchment furling up and bursting into flames before Luna looked pleased with herself even as the sun slowly began to move back out of the sky, returning the eternal red dusk to the Evening Isles as Luna glanced back and forth, then announced kindly: "Now, let us put away our pinata before I am tempted to break it, and then I shall tell all of those interested a very strange and wonderful story I am most certain I am not supposed to share with any of thee." Luna smiled slightly and winked around at the villagers, and Scrivener couldn't help but laugh as he put his writing things back into his satchel and tossed it easily over one shoulder, gently helping Sublime Style back to her hooves as she stared after the winged unicorn with the amazement and delight of a pony for whom everything had first gone wrong was finally being set right. An expression mirrored on the face of Leafy Greene, wonderment driving the last of the madness from her eyes and the despair from her face, giving new hope to the ponies who had both lost so much. Category:Transcript Category:Story